The Writing On The Wall
by BlueMoonFan
Summary: Booth enlists the help of someone from the past. Someone that might just be smart enough to help him take down Pelant once and for all. Spoilers for the S7 finale..
1. Chapter 1

_**The finale was a definite tear jerker for me. I had to watch it again before I could see why the powers that be did what they did. So, after talking with my friend, we came to the decision that if anyone could help solve the mystery it would be someone from the past. One of my favorite squinterns. So, without further ado, I bring you a story about Booth's bringing his family home...**_

Booth found himself sitting on the steps of the church. Just moments ago, he had been on top of the wall. However, in the matter of minutes, his life had come crashing down around him.

He'd been angry at Max. Angry that he had driven his family away. He should have been with them. He needed to protect them. However, after hearing Max tell him that the way to get his family back was to figure out what Pelant was doing, Booth knew that he was right. He needed to figure out what they had done to make Pelant so bitter and angry towards them.

After talking to Angela and discovering the writing on the wall of Ethan's room at the insane asylum, Booth realized that Pelant was smarter than they had given him credit for. He hated to say it, but maybe he was smarter, at least in some ways, than Bones herself.

That was how Booth found himself seated at the table of another insane asylum. Immunity papers in hand and waiting for a long lost friend to reappear. Never before would Booth have called this particular person a friend. However, he realized now that maybe, just maybe, this person could and should be counted as a friend. Maybe he was smart enough to beat Pelant at the insane game that he was playing with the rest of the squints.

Booth rubbed his eyes again and stood up and walked over to the window. Looking outside at the courtyard, Booth silently hoped that Bones and Christine were okay. God, he missed them every second since they had been gone. He had replayed those last moments that he'd spent with them. Moments, which he would treasure more than life itself over the coming days and weeks. Moments that played over and over again in his mind. He sometimes wondered if he was strong enough to survive all of this. He realized that he had to be though. He had to stay strong so that he could bring Bones and Christine home with him. He wouldn't rest until they were back where they belonged.

A voice from behind asked, "Agent Booth? What are you doing here?"

Booth turned around with a smile and said, "I need your help. We need your help."

"We?"

Booth nodded and said, "Bones is being framed for murder and the man that is doing it is scary smart."

"And you came to me why?"

Booth smiled, "Because you are the only person that I believe is smart enough to figure out the writing that we found on the wall."

"So, basically you need my help. What do I get out of it?"

Booth looked at him and said, "I have immunity papers and a full pardon from your past crime. You will be out of here the moment that you agree to help us. Also, you will be reinstated at the Jeffersonian. Effective immediately."

"After all these years you suddenly need my help."

Booth was desperate. He was beyond the point of playing any kind of game, especially when he needed this man's help. He told him, "I was wrong. I don't think you committed those crimes. We need your help Zach. We are at a virtual dead end. Angela, Hodgins and Cam are all stumped. Bones is on the run and I want to bring my family home."

Zach smiled and asked, "Do the others know that you are here?"

Booth shook his head, "No. I figure that it would be a nice surprise."

"Okay. Lets go and catch this son of a bitch."

Booth laughed at Zach's language. Booth had never heard him talk like that. Maybe the time in here had been good for him in more ways than one. Maybe, just maybe, with his help, they could finally get to the bottom of Pelant's scheme and bring his partner and daughter home where they belonged…..

_**So, Zach is back. He's one of my all time favorite squinterns. Will he help figure out what Pelant is up to? Or will Booth's attempt to bring Pelant to justice backfire? Stay tuned to find out. **_


	2. Chapter 2

_**First, I want to thank everyone for the reviews and alerts. I truly wasn't expecting the response to be so great. I will try to be regular with the updates. I hope you like this chapter. **_

_**Reviews are love and are always appreciated and welcomed.**_

As Zach went back to his room at the asylum, his thoughts drifted to Doctor Brennan.

She had always been the one professor who had been just as smart, if not smarter than he was. She challenged him in ways that no one before her had done. She'd trusted him enough to work on his own. She was always there to guide him, but she valued his work and his input. She would guide him in the right direction when needed.

Now she needed him once again. Some people would have been bitter at being left in here for years. However, Zach knew that he had done many things wrong in the past. He'd betrayed Doctor Brennan and the rest of the team. Maybe this was a way that he could earn her trust again. He knew that it was only a small step back to earning her trust, but maybe, just maybe it would help with the others.

Hodgins still visited him every Saturday. Like clockwork he would show up at ten in the morning. Sometimes, he would bring him complicated equations to solve, sometimes they would just talk.

That was how he learned that Agent Booth and Doctor Brennan were together now. When Hodgins had told him, he hadn't been surprised. There had always been something between his mentor and the Special Agent. He thought that everyone had seen it. Apparently it wasn't as obvious as he'd thought.

Hodgins was also the first one to tell him about Doctor Brennan's daughter. Zach had smiled at the picture and saw an immediate resemblance. The baby looked so much like Agent Booth, it was almost scary.

Now, because of a madman, Doctor Brennan was on the run with their daughter. The tiny family that they had created had been torn apart. Zach knew that Doctor Brennan had to have been scared. Because he knew that she was always one to stand and fight. No matter the cost. Agent Booth told him that this guy they were after was scary smart. He'd once said that about him, so Zach figured that it must be true. Zach also knew that he was scary smart, but in a good way. If he could bring him down, then maybe, just maybe they would welcome him back into the Jeffersonian's, weird, but unique family once again. Zach could only hope for that.

As Zach walked out of the asylum for the last time, he turned around and looked at the gray building. He'd never been particularly impressed with the architecture before and he was even less impressed now. It always looked exceptionally depressing and Zach supposed, given the nature of the building, it was almost fitting.

He turned and looked at Agent Booth as he asked, "Are you ready Zach?"

Nodding, Zach told him, "I'm ready."

With that, Booth and Zach got into Booth's car and drove away.

Booth's decision to come to Zach had been one born out of desperation. One that he had to call in a lot of favors for. Booth had used up all of the favors that he had garnered over the years. Probably the most important one, had been the favor that a District Judge had owed him. He had rescued his daughter from Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan years ago. Fortunately for Booth, the judge had never forgotten that one act. It was also fortunate for Booth that Zach had lived a relatively quiet existence at the asylum. So, after talking to Zach's doctors and assuring them that he would be closely supervised for the next six months, he was able to secure Zach's release.

The judge wished him all the luck in the world. At one time, Booth would have taken that at face value. However, Booth knew that he needed more than luck, he needed a damn miracle. A miracle that might just rest with Zach. Because he knew that Zach was scary smart.

Once they were on their way, Booth looked over at Zach and said, "Okay Zach, here's how this is going to work. You are going to help me catch this son of a bitch. You are going to stay at our house and you won't go or do anything without telling me. Got that?"

Zach nodded, "Yes. Is that all?"

Booth shook his head, "If you can stay clean and stay out of trouble for six months, then you will be free to live your life again."

Zach nodded, "Do the others know that I'm coming back?"

Booth coughed and told him, "Not exactly. I told them that I am bringing in someone special to help us solve this."

"Someone special?"

Booth nodded, "Don't get a big head Zach. I couldn't exactly tell them that I was bringing you back with me. Angela wouldn't have let me go alone and heaven knows that Cam would have agreed to it."

"So, you went over her head."

"Exactly. Sometimes you have to in order to get what you want. I went to the head of the Jeffersonian and explained the situation to them. They want Bones back and they know that the only way to do this is to solve these crimes and figure out how Pelant is doing this. So, they want the best and they know that you are the best. They just don't want it known that I'm bringing you back."

"It's bad for the public image. Right?"

Booth did a double take and realized that the time in the insane asylum had taught Zach a thing or two. Before his stay there, Booth doubted that the younger man would have cared, much less realized that there was such a thing as a public image.

Upon arriving at the Jeffersonian, Booth stopped Zach and said, "Let me do all the talking. I want you to wait just outside the doors. Let me break the news to the others. Especially Cam."

Booth knew that he was in for it when Cam realized what he had done. However, Booth wanted his family back and knew that his best and only chance rested with Zach. So, he had done what came naturally and would deal with the backlash that Cam was sure to give him. He was prepared for it. If it meant that he could bring his partner and their daughter home.

Walking into the Jeffersonian, Booth could hear all the sounds he normally heard. However, their was an underlying sadness. One of their family members was missing. Nothing would be the same until their family was whole again.

Booth walked into Cam's office and sat down in the chair in front of her desk. He waited for her to look up at him. When she did, Booth took a deep breath and said, "I've got something to tell you. Something that you aren't going to like."

Cam sighed. Cam was feeling exceedingly guilty about everything that had happened in the last few days. She knew that the others blamed her for what was happening. However, she didn't have a choice. She wouldn't blame Booth if he never talked to her again. It was her fault that Doctor Brennan and Christine were gone.

So, she looked up at Booth and whispered sadly, "Just tell me. I don't care what it is. I'm just amazed that you are still talking to me."

Booth looked surprised at her statement, but chose not to say anything. Instead he said, "Well, since the squints seem to be stumped on this and Bones couldn't figure it out. I figured that I'd bring in the best."

Cam gave him a funny look and said, "Just get on with it Booth."

Both decided to just say it and deal with her fury once it was over. So, he blurted out, "I brought Zach in to help us. I figure that he just as scary smart as Bones and..."

Booth saw the stunned look on her face and then watched in astonishment as Cam practically ran from her office. He followed her and heard her calling out Zach's name. This wasn't the reaction that Booth had expected. Booth had expected her to scream at him. However, when Booth turned the corner and saw Cam hugging Zach tightly, he realized that maybe, just maybe he had misjudged everything and everyone. Maybe this would turn out okay after all...


End file.
